“Sanjaya said, ‘Having vanquished Drona and other warriors of thy army,
headed by the son of Hridika, that foremost of men, viz., that bull
amongst the Sinis, O foremost one of the Kurus, laughing said unto his
charioteer, “Our foes, O Suta, had already been consumed by Kesava and
Phalguna. In vanquishing them (again), we have only been the (ostensible)
means. Already slain by that bull among men, viz., the son of the
celestial chief, we have but slain the dead.” Saying these words unto his
charioteer, that bull amongst the Sinis, that foremost of bowmen, that
slayer of hostile heroes, that mighty warrior, scattering with great
force his arrows all around in that dreadful battle, proceeded like a
hawk in search of prey. The Kuru warriors, although they attacked him
from all sides, succeeded not in resisting that foremost of car-warriors,
resembling the sun himself of a thousand rays, that foremost of men, who,
having pierced the Kaurava ranks, was proceeding, borne by those
excellent steeds of his that were white as the moon or a conch. Indeed, O
Bharata, none amongst those that fought on thy side could resist
Yuyudhana of irresistible prowess, of might incapable of impairment, of
valour equal to that of him of a thousand eyes, and looking like the
autumnal sun in the firmament. Then that foremost of kings, viz.,
Sudarsana, conversant with all modes of warfare, clad in golden coat of
mail, armed with bow and arrows and filled with rage, advanced against
the rushing Satyaki and endeavoured to check his course. Then the
encounter that took place between them was fierce in the extreme. And
both thy warriors and the Somakas, O king highly applauded the encounter
as between Vritra and Vasava. Sudarsana endeavoured to pierce that
foremost one of the Satwata’s in that battle with hundreds of keen shafts
before they could reach him. Similarly, Sudarsana, stationed on his
foremost of cars, cut off, by means of his own excellent shafts in two or
three fragments all the shafts that Satyaki, resembling Indra himself,
sped at him. Beholding his shafts baffled by the force of Satyaki’s
shafts, Sudarsana of fierce energy, as if to consume (his foe),
wrathfully shot beautiful arrows winged with gold. And once more he
pierced his enemy with three beautiful arrows resembling fire itself and
equipped with wings of gold, shot from his bow-string drawn to the ear.
Those piercing through Satyaki’s armour, penetrated into the latter’s
body. Similarly, that (prince, viz., Sudarsana), aiming four other
blazing arrows, smote therewith the four steeds of Satyaki that were
white as silver in hue. Thus afflicted by him the grandson of Sini,
endued with great activity and possessed of prowess equal to that of
Indra himself speedily slew with his keen shafts the steeds of Sudarsana
and uttered a loud roar. Then cutting off with a broad-headed arrow
endued with the force of Sakra’s thunder, the head of Sudarsana’s driver,
the foremost one amongst the Sinis with a razor-faced arrow resembling
the Yuga-fire, cut off from Sudarsana’s trunk his head graced with
ear-rings, resembling the moon at full, and decked with an exceedingly
radiant face, like the wielder of the thunder, O king, in days of old,
forcibly cutting off the head of the mighty Vala in battle. That
high-souled bull among the Yadus then, endued with great activity thus
slaying that grandson of a prince, became filled with delight and shone
resplendent, O monarch, like the chief of the celestials himself.
Yuyudhana, then, that hero among men, proceeded along the track by which
Arjuna had passed before him, checking (as he went) by means of clouds of
shafts, all thy troops, and riding on that same car of his, O king, unto
which were yoked those excellent steeds and filling everybody with
amazement. All the foremost of warriors there, assembled together,
applauded that foremost of amazing feats achieved by him, for he consumed
all foes that came within reach of his arrows, like a conflagration
consuming everything in its way.’”